SC defers Balwant Singh Rajoana – 1995 killer of Punjab CM Beant Singh – plea for release
Senior advocate Rohatgi, appearing for Rajoana, urged the bench to grant temporary release to Rajoana.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a PIL describing it as a publicity interest litigation seeking Breathalyser test of voters at polling booths during ongoing Lok Sabha election 2024.
Junking the plea, a bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta stated, “It is more of publicity interest litigation”, and refused to interfere with the Andhra Pradesh High Court order rejecting it.
Appearing for the PIL petitioner political outfit – the Janavahini Party – the advocate told the bench that since the model code of conduct is imposed, no voter should be allowed to vote under the influence of alcohol.
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The bench said, “What is this? It is for publicity. On the polling day it is a dry day and police personnel are deployed everywhere. We will not entertain this. Dismissed.”
Earlier the Andhra Pradesh High Court had dismissed the plea on February 28, 2024.
The Janavahini Party had on January 6, 2024, made a representation to the Election Commission of India seeking arrangements for breathalysers at every polling booth and allowing only those voters to exercise their franchise, who are uninfluenced by alcohol. However, the representation was not responded to by the poll panel.
The petitioner political party had sought direction to the poll panel to make arrangements for breathalysers at every polling booth.
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